BRUSSELS has helped almost 10 million people find jobs across the European Union over the past seven years - but the success came at the eye-watering cost of £8,400 per post.

The EU has helped 9.4 million people find jobs over the last seven years

New job figures released by the European Commission showed that 9.4 million people secured work between 2007 and 2014 after receiving a helping hand from EU funding.

Eurocrats today hailed the figures as an example of "solidarity at its best" and claimed they show Brussels is capable of tackling the twin demons of sluggish economic growth and sky-high unemployment.

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But critics are likely to point to the astronomical cost of its successes, while around 16 million people remain unemployed in the troubled eurozone area at a rate of just under 10 per cent.

According to statistics released on the impact of the European Social Fund (ESF), which is dedicated to boosting employment, at least 13.7 million EU citizens were helped to find work or improve their skills and education over a seven year period.

EU Commission

But unemployment still remains sky-high in many parts of the eurozone

GETTY

Countries like Greece have been badly hit by years of economic depression

But concerns have been raised about the cost effectiveness of the programme, which accounts for around a tenth of all EU spending and had an astronomical budget of £99billion for the years 2007-2014.

Just under 80 per cent of the ESF's funding is dedicated to boosting skills, education and employment prospects, meaning it cost taxpayers around £8,400 for every person the scheme managed to get into a job.

The programme's budget is split between contributions from the central Brussels budget, which accounts for two-thirds of all its cash, and member state contribution which make up the rest - although in effect the entire scheme is bankrolled by taxpayers.

Cash payments from the ESF are also weighted in favour of states with high unemployment meaning countries like Britain, which has a lower jobless rate than the eurozone, are effectively net contributors.

It is solidarity at its best

EU Commissioner Marianne Thyssen

For the current budgetary period of 2014-2020, UK taxpayers are paying in almost the same amount as Brussels for the ESF's operations in Britain, while Spain is receiving more than twice as much funding from the EU as it is stumping up itself.

Despite this, eurocrats today insisted that the scheme has had a positive effect on the EU as a whole, boosting the 28-member bloc's GDP output by 0.25 per cent.

Figures show it was particularly beneficial to eastern European nations - known as the EU-12 - who saw their productivity rocket by 1.5 per cent.

Valdis Dombrovskis, Vice-President for the Euro and Social Dialogue, said: "Today's report shows that the European Social Fund has, within 7 years, helped millions of Europeans find jobs, acquire extra skills and qualifications.

"It helped modernise employment services, supported education systems and general public administration, and supported the most disadvantaged in society.

"We should now build on this experience to invest in Europe's human capital - workers, young people and all those looking for a job."

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Marianne Thyssen, Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs, Skills and Labour Mobility, added: "Today's evaluation proves that the European Social Fund makes a real difference in the lives of Europeans. It is our main instrument to invest in human capital.

"Thanks to European support, millions of people have found a job, improved their skills or found their way out of poverty and social exclusion. It is solidarity at its best."

The welcome figures come as eurocrats try to fight off an increasingly vociferous revolt against the euro currency, which many voters in Mediterranean countries blame for high unemployment and sluggish economic growth.

Earlier this week Brussels bigwigs made an attempt to rebuff anti-establishment politicians' hopes in Italy of ditching the single currency, saying any country wanting to drop the euro must also leave the EU.